🛡️WEB · Ephesians 1:7
What does Ephesians 1:7 mean?
"in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,"
— Ephesians 1:7 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love;
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;
Explanation
Ephesians 1:7 declares that in Christ, believers possess redemption—a rescue or buying back from bondage—accomplished specifically through his blood, meaning his sacrificial death on the cross. This redemption is further defined as the forgiveness of trespasses, the wiping away of sins committed against God. The verse also tells us the scale of this gift: it flows not from a small or grudging supply, but according to the riches of God's grace, an overflowing, abundant generosity.
This verse sits within the opening section of Ephesians, a letter traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul, written while he was imprisoned, likely in Rome, to the church at Ephesus and probably circulated among other congregations in Asia Minor as well. Ephesians 1:3-14 forms one long, soaring sentence in the original Greek, a hymn of praise blessing God for the spiritual blessings believers have received in Christ. Verse 7 comes right after Paul has spoken of being chosen and adopted by God, and it explains the means by which that adoption becomes possible: through the costly, bloody sacrifice of Jesus.
Theologically, this verse packs together several crucial ideas. Redemption evokes the image of a slave market or a hostage situation—humanity is depicted as being in bondage to sin, unable to free itself, needing someone to pay the price for release. That price is Christ's blood, echoing Old Testament sacrificial imagery where blood signified life given up to atone for sin. The forgiveness of trespasses clarifies what redem
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